The present invention relates to a pouring apparatus for a moving-mold type continuous casting machine.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional moving-mold type continuous casting machine comprising a plurality of block molds 1 interconnected in the form of a pair of endless mold assemblies 2 and 2'. Such mold assemblies 2 and 2' are disposed one upon another to define a continuous mold cavity between them. While the mold assemblies 2 and 2' are driven by drive wheels 3 and 3' in a direction indicated by arrows 4 and 4', melt is poured into the mold cavity at one side of the cavity through a tundish nozzle 6 extending from a tundish 5 and a cast strand 7 is withdrawn from the other side of the mold cavity as indicated by arrow.
In order to prevent leakage of melt in the continuous casting machine of the type described above, a gap between the tundish nozzle 6 in the mold cavity and the block molds 1 defining the mold cavity must be kept at a predetermined small value with a high degree of dimensional accuracy.
To this end, conventionally used is a tundish-nozzle aligning system as shown in FIGS. 2-5 in which vertical position as well as nose-up and nose-down of the nozzle can be adjusted by operating handlewheels 45 operatively connected to jacks 44 mounted on a tundish-supporting stand 48. Horizontal position of the nozzle 6 can be adjusted by moving jack stand 49 located below the tundish-supporting stand 48 by operating push bolts 46 and draw bolts 47 as shown in FIG. 4. As best shown in FIG. 5, rotational alignment (inclination in a plane perpendicular to a nozzle axis) of the nozzle can be adjusted by adjusting nuts 53 of specially designed bolts 52 pivotably joined with pivot pins 51 to a car frame 50.
However, use of the tundish-nozzle aligning system is not always effective for keeping the gap between the nozzle and the block molds at a predetermined small value. Because, any vertical deviation of the individual block molds 1 must be absorbed by adjusting the nozzle 6 through manual operation of the handlewheels 45. This is practically impossible, resulting in failure of maintaining the above-described predetermined gap. As a result, the tundish nozzle 6 strongly contacts the molds 1 and is nonuniformly worn or damaged.
The present invention was made to substantially overcome the above and other problems encountered in the conventional pouring apparatuses for moving-mold type continuous casting machines and has for its object to properly maintain a predetermined small gap between the tundish nozzle and the block molds all the time, thereby ensuring the safety of the tundish nozzle and the moving molds. The present invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.